The present invention relates generally to the field of golf ball retrievers, and specifically to a golf ball retriever capable of trapping and retaining a golf ball from either end of a cylindrical capture.
There are many devices today used for the purpose of retrieving golf balls from water hazards and other inaccessible areas. These present devices, however, often require a very delicate touch and gentle treatment of the retrieval device. Without such gentle treatment, the ball, even if initially trapped in the retriever falls out due to a lack of ability of the retriever to hold the ball in the retriever once it is trapped.
For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,134 (Allen) has a receiver or cup with spring loaded bails. The ball is released by squeezing the side members inwardly. The handle relies on friction between the end plug outer diameter and tube inner diameter. A shim is not present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,529 (Ostrin) has a receiver or cup utilizing 3-spring loadedfingers. The ball is entrapped by downward motion. The handle discloses a locking mechanism to prevent relative rotation of handle sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,681 (Lee) is a combination umbrella and golf ball retriever. The main strut of the umbrella serves as the socket pipe for all of the telescopically nested tubes forming the handle of the golf ball retriever. After a section of the tubing has been extended, an eccentric grooved stud inserted at one end, and matched with a similar eccentric circular bushing, locks against the inner diameter of the larger tube when the tubes are rotated in a first direction. Rotation in the opposite direction will loosen the bushing and allow the tubes to slide freely.
U.S. Pat. No. D283,432 (Rosenow) is a design patent for a Receiving Cup for a golf ball retriever. The design is different from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,189 (Nihra) is a ball receiver consisting of a ring with a series of embossments around the inner peripheral surface. A telescopic handle is not taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,338 (Strobl) is a combined golf umbrella and golf retriever. Two embodiments are disclosed; the retriever can telescope out of handle end of umbrella or out of screen end of umbrella. The telescoping shaft sections are provided with mating conical portions which lock by friction upon contact at full extension. The golf ball retriever is a ring with a diameter less than that of the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,593 (Spielman) is a retriever consisting of parallel disks mounted on a central axis. The golf ball is entrapped between the parallel disks. A telescopic handle is not taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,906 (White) is a golf ball retriever which is attachable to the grip end of a golf club and which retrieves the ball in a partial loop at the retrieving end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,319 (Bontempo) is a receiver consisting of a plurality of elongated rods disposed and spaced generally parallel in relation to each other and mounted at their opposite ends to a pair of end plates. The retriever forms a receptacle for golf balls and provides a means for attaching a handle thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,526 (Young) is a golf ball retriever comprising a partially ellipsoidal basket having a pocket for retaining a golf ball at the basket's far end and a telescoping pole attached to the near end. The pole of the present invention is not taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,725 (Anderson) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a uniquely shaped net which is removably attached to the end of an existing ball retriever.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,254 (Warden) is a golf ball retriever having a shaft rotatably mounted on its handle. The shaft includes a number of equally spaced fiat disks which rotate on the shaft. A telescoping handle is attached to the shaft. Golf balls are captured between the spaced disks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,204 (Lempio) is a golf ball retriever for attachment to the butt end of a golf club. The retriever consists of a scope adapted to retrieve and retain a golf ball therein. It is constructed from wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,473 (Miller) is a ball retriever consisting of a stationary support having two pivotally mounted capturing arms. A triggering mechanism biases the arms toward each other while capturing the golf ball. The retriever is preferably attached to a telescoping handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,402 (Sedan) is a golf ball retriever which is attached to the club end of a golf club and utilizes a ring for retrieving the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. D284,882 (Kertai et al.) is a design patent for a design of a rectangular basket-like golf ball retriever.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,569 (Anderson) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a wire-shaped ring. At least three frictionally engaging disks are attached to the wire ring. Alternatively, the wire ring is spiral in structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,788 (Smith). Parallel hinged capturing plates are biased toward each other by a spring after being released by a triggering mechanism. The triggering mechanism is actuated by contacting the surface of a golf ball. The pole of the present invention is not taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,149 (Clark) is a combined golf ball retriever and rake.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,477 (Young) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a spring loaded wire retriever which is triggered by the presence of a golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,371 (Halone) is a golf ball retriever comprising a box-like member with a plurality of compartments. A shutter in the normally closed position prevents entrapped golf balls from moving out of the receiving structure.
U.S. Pat. No. D266,264 (West) is a design patent for a design of a golf ball retriever consisting of two flat plates converging at the point where they are attached to the handle and each having a hole through which the surface of the golf ball protrudes when entrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,901 (Walter) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a wire ring and adjoining curved arms. After the ring is lowered over the top of the golf ball, the arms hold the ball. The retriever is attached to a telescopic handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,413 (Jeninga) is retriever consisting of a pair of spaced wire loops, large enough to pass a golf ball therethrough which are secured to the end of a telescopic handle. A pivoted gate between the loops can block either one and serve as a support for a ball that has entered one of the retainers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,413 (Vobeda) is a combination golf ball retriever and rake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,503 (Jeninga) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a U-shaped frame having a pair of transversely opposed U-shaped bail members pivotally mounted between the opposed legs of the frame. The bail members pivot from the normal position to pass a golf ball there between into the retriever.
U.S. Pat. No. D304,851 (Allison et al.) is a design patent for a design of a golf ball retriever consisting of two parallel disks rotatably attached to a central axis. The golf ball is entrapped between the two disks. The retriever is mounted to a telescoping handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,859 (Gabinet) is a golf ball retriever consisting of two parallel rigid sides and elongated members connected therebetween which form an enclosure capable of encapsulating golf balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,079 (Burton) is a golf ball retriever comprising a generally spheroidal basket having an opening with dimensions sufficient to allow a golf ball to pass therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,156 (Kremer) is a golf ball retriever including a pair of ball engaging members pivotally mounted on a base affixed to a handle. The ball engaging members are driven closed about a ball being retrieved by a cam carried by a locking pin axially displaced upon contact with the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,240 (Tsukamoto) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a plurality of curved prongs in the form of cantilever springs which encompass the golf ball as the prongs are protracted from their housing.
U.S. Pat. No. D306,058 (Blake) is a design patent for a design of a golf ball retriever consisting of a tube with two ends. The outer diameter of each end is large enough to allow a golf ball to pass through however the central inner diameter is reduced such that a golf ball will not pass through.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,770 (Spielman et al.) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a pair of disks rotating on a central axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,896 (Martin) is a golf ball retriever having a plurality of disks spaced apart by spacer tubes and secured to a central axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,781 (Tucker et al.) is a golf ball retriever having an open ended enclosure with spring means for permitting the entry of one or more golf balls to be gathered within the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,225 (McKee) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a semi-enclosed ball cage with a spring driven ball-retaining plunger that, when released, holds the ball in the cage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,427 (Curtis) is a golf ball retriever having pivotally mounted claw members which encapsulate the golf ball upon the depression of a central triggering pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,308 (Faber) is a golf ball retriever including a bell-shaped cup and a light weight locking pin which is freely and slidably mounted in a bore in the handle socket of the cup for movement between a ball blocking position and a retracted position permitting entry of the ball into the cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,288 (Sievers) is a golf ball retriever comprising a wire loop with a spring-wire spiral wrapped about the loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,981 (Wilson) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a flat plate having a plurality of retrieving fingers pivotally attached thereto. The free end of each finger is curved rearwardly in the general direction of the telescoping handle. The distance between the free ends of adjacent fingers is slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball.
U.S. Pat No. 4,334,707 (Phillips) is a golf ball retriever consisting of a base with a plurality of ball engaging loops of flexible, resilient wire having one end cantilevered from the base and extending endwise from the sides of the base. The base is attached to a telescopic pole. The pole structure is not taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,632 (King) is a golf ball retriever having prongs for scooping a golf ball and fingers for gripping a golf ball after it is retrieved.
None of the above mentioned patents discloses the unique features of the present invention. The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art designs. It provides an improved golf ball retriever that may trap a golf ball from either end of a cylindrical catcher device, yet still retain the ball from falling out either end. The prior art does not contain such a device. Further, the structure of the telescoping pole of the present invention is such that it may be easily and quickly manufactured.